Hi, I am Michihiro Hayashi, the advisor of the Design & Fabrication Club.
On Saturday, October 5, and Sunday, October 6, 2024, I took a business trip with the participating students to the Tokai-Hokuriku Regional ROBOCON 2024 held in Numazu City. Numazu City is located in the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture and is the furthest regional competition site from ICT. The students and their faculty advisors traveled there by chartered bus. The one-way trip was about 8 hours long. The students bought a lots of snacks and fast food at the rest area and ate them on the bus. Perhaps the souvenir shops on the highway were a rarity to them, especially since there are few stores around the Hakusanroku Campus.

The theme of this year's ROBOCON is “Return of the Robots,” and the rules call for a robot to launch an another robot, retrieve objects, and return. When the robot is launched, it inevitably receives a shock when it lands, which can cause the robot to break or malfunction, so a mechanism to absorb the shock is necessary. Also, when the robot returns after retrieving an object, some obstacles must be jumped over, so each team needs to be creative in their robot design.

Two teams from our school participated: Team A from Kanazawa Campus, “ХАЙРТАЙ ШҮҮ 3k”, and Team B from Hakusanroku Campus “Tobihoudai”. The captain of Team A was Sansar Sergelen, a 4th year student from Mongolia. Therefore, the team’s name is in Mongolian. If you are interested in the name of Team A, please look up the meaning and pronunciation.

Team A's robot was designed with airbags for shock absorption and an arm that extends like a crane when returning. With only three members, various tasks took time, and they couldn't fully adjust the robot by the final date. On the day of the competition, they continued making adjustments at the venue but unfortunately couldn't demonstrate the soft landing with the airbags. As a result, they lost both matches in the preliminary league. However, despite the small team, their innovative efforts were recognized, and they received the "DENSO Special Award."

Certificate and Trophy (Team A)賞状とトロフィー(Aチーム)

Team B's robot was constructed so that it could continue to operate even if it was upside down on landing. They also built a robot that uses a rotating roller like a pitching machine to retrieve objects. The members gathered after school until just before the competition to continue adjusting the robot. However, they struggled to reduce the weight of the robot and were forced to bring the improved parts to the venue by bus. As a result, the robot was able to successfully pass the weighing and measuring inspection for the competition. In the competition, the students showed off how they flew and landed their robots and achieved one win and one loss in the preliminary league. The efforts of the younger students were also recognized, and they received the “Mabuchi Motor Special Award.”

Although neither team was able to advance to the final tournament or be nominated for the national tournament, I believe that they were able to fully demonstrate the results of their activities. Some students may have felt that they “failed” or “felt frustrated,” but I hope that these feelings will become rich nourishment for their future.

Michihiro Hayashi

Hello, I am Ian Stevenson, an English teacher here at Hakusanroku Campus.
 On Thursday, October 24th, 2024, in what has become an annual tradition at ICT, students made jack-o'-lantern. This year, because of weather and monkeys, I was not able to grow any pumpkins in my garden. All the jack-o'-lanterns this year are made from paper mache. 

If you’re interested in making paper mache see the link below for the recipe.
Hakusanroku Journal: November 19, 2022 Making Jack-o’-lantern

 1st year students Kotori Mae, Madoka Nakazawa, Ayane Ito and Takeshi Murayama, as well as Learning Mentor Sade Moore sensei, all made jack-o'-lanterns, put lights in the jack-o'-lanterns’ mouths and hung them so they could look across the road at Sena Roadside Station. Madoka cut a fanged and star eyed monster from her paper mache pumpkin, Sade sensei made a Cinnamoroll Roll jack-o-lantern, Kotori’s jack-o'-lantern had green hair, Ayane created an original pumpkin character called “Kabo Kabo” and Takeshi turned his paper mache pumpkin into a bat. 

Hello, this is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku office. It is now November and the mornings and evenings at the Hakusanroku Campus have become quite chilly, making me feel that winter is coming. Today, I would like to write about the Kutani Ware Overglaze Painting Experience and the Flower Arrangement and Kado Class held in September.

【Kutani Ware Overglaze Painting Experience】　

 On Thursday, September 12th, 2024, Arihiro Kodaka sensei oversaw the Kutani Ware Overglaze Painting Experience. Two instructors from the Ishikawa Prefectural Kutani Ware Technical Institute led this activity.
 First, the instructors explained the characteristics of Kutani ware, how to hold the brush, and the types of colors used.
 Then, the students transferred their pre-prepared designs onto square plates, sketching them in pencil. The designs they prepared were inspired by Japanese themes, such as sea creatures, Mt. Fuji, koi fish, and the kotoji stone lantern at Kenrokuen Garden. This design was tasteful and evocative of the season.
 The painting style used in this session is "Gosaide," a traditional style in Kutani ware. After the initial sketching in pencil, students outlined their designs in a black pigment called “Gosu” and then applied five Japanese pigments (yellow, blue (green), dark blue, purple (brown), and red) to add color. Though initially nervous about outlining and applying these colors, the students gradually gained confidence and worked with increasing enjoyment.
 Once the painting was completed, the pieces were sent for firing, and about a month later, the finished plates were delivered to the students. The plates were amazing. The transformation, with the colors becoming richer and deeper, resulted in beautifully crafted Kutani ware unique to this traditional style.

【Flower Arrangement and Kado Class】

 On Friday, September 13th, the Flower Arrangement and Kado class was held. Kazumi Minamikawa sensei (instructor) led the Flower Arrangement course.
 First, students arranged flowers using roses, chrysanthemums, chili peppers, and leatherleaf ferns. After learning from Minamikawa sensei how to cut the stems and keep the flowers in water, the students placed their flowers on a special sponge to shape their arrangements. Adding chili peppers at various angles, each student created a unique piece in their own style.
 Next after being divided into two groups, students tried their hands at flower arrangement using a flower frog and a water basin to create a full-scale flower arrangement with sunflowers, foxtail millets, St. John’s worts alstro emeria, Japanese fantail willows, and peruvian lilies. Using Minamikawa sensei’s model as a guide, the students created a beautiful display by making holes in straight leaves, bending them around to create curves, and scattering flowers on the surface of the water while bringing out the individuality of the flowers and leaves.
The students' works were displayed at the entrance of the Hakusanroku campus and in common areas, creating a gorgeous atmosphere on campus.

間加田 侑里

 Hello, my name is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku office. From Monday, August 26th to Monday September 2nd, 2024, I traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, for a business trip to recruit future ICT students, along with Mr. Tossa Mebusaya sensei, Mr. Rikichi Izumiya, the Deputy Secretary General of the ICT office, and Ms. Rattiya Mebusaya. I had the impression that Thailand would be extremely hot, but since Ishikawa Prefecture also experienced a heatwave of over 35 ℃ the week before, the temperature and humidity were almost the same. I had heard that August is the rainy season in Thailand, characterized by heavy downpours, but fortunately, we were blessed with sunny weather without being caught in any heavy rain.

 From Monday, August 26th to Friday August 30th, 2024, we visited several institutions in Bangkok. Among them were the Bangkok Japanese School, Japanese cram schools, the Japanese Embassy, Kosen Kmutt, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi and its affiliated startup institution (Knowledge Xchange), and Sripatum University. During these visits, we introduced our school, discussed the recruitment of international students and returnees, toured the facilities of each institution, and exchanged opinions on the COOP Project and startup initiatives.

 From Friday, August 30th to Sunday September 1st, the Bangkok Japan Expo 2024 was held. At the Expo, the 45th Bangkok Study Abroad Fair was also held by the Jeducation Bangkok Japan Expo Executive Committee. ICT had a booth at the event. At the Bangkok Japan Expo 2024, many booths showcased various aspects of Japanese culture, such as travel to Japan and Japanese culinary traditions, creating an atmosphere filled with enthusiasm and interest in Japan.
 Many Japanese children living in Thailand, as well as Thai middle school students and their parents, visited the ICT booth. Some families engaged in serious discussions about studying at ICT for over an hour. Additionally, many high school and university students expressed strong interest in KIT, our affiliated school, and numerous questions were asked.
 At the Bangkok Japan Expo 2024, there were a total of 118,104 visitors over 3 days. Many attendees already had an interest in Japan, which created an environment conducive to discussions about Japan and studying abroad. The ICT booth was bustling with visitors from morning until evening, and our team worked together to assist them. We were amazed by the high level of interest from the Thai people in studying in Japan. We hope that this exhibition will lead to increased enrollment at ICT.
 This trip to Thailand was filled with new experiences, making it a very fulfilling time. Unfortunately, I had case of food poisoning and had to visit a hospital in Thailand, which was quite challenging. Despite this, the trip to Thailand was an unforgettable experience.

Yuri Makada

Hello again! It’s me, Domyson Abuan, a Learning Mentor at ICT Hakusanroku campus. I am back with my second journal entry. This time, I have a story to share to mark my first anniversary of working at ICT!

My best friend gifted me a shirt that says, “EPIC FAIL.” At first, wearing something that labels me a failure seemed odd, but I proudly wear it anytime. “EPIC FAIL” has become a popular slang term for funny or ridiculous mishaps, usually made while doing something simple.

 It all started two years ago when the two of us joined a sports event in Ishikawa—wall climbing, BMX, parkour, all packed into one venue! So exciting! We drove a few hours to get there—only to discover that the event was mainly for kids!

 We were the only adults lining up to do parkour with children, looking like two out-of-place chaperones. To make it even funnier, I struggled with the course, and the kids easily beat me! We laughed so much that we dubbed the day an “EPIC FAIL.”

 Despite the mishap, we had a great time, and it became the start of more epic adventures—a race in Hokkaido, firefly squid fishing in Namerikawa, and even backpacking in the Philippines. Every trip brought more epic failures, but with each one, we picked life lessons. My friend gave me the shirt, and it reminded me of how much we’ve learned from those moments.

 Fast forward to August 7th, 2024. I wore my “EPIC FAIL” shirt during ICT Hakusanroku campus’s summer camp, where students from various schools gathered for STEM workshops. The theme of the camp was “Imagineering a dream company aimed at the future we want to see!!”, and I was assigned to introduce the concept. Imagineering blends imagination and technical skills, encouraging students to create innovative solutions for pressing social issues.

 I secretly hoped someone would ask about my shirt so I could tie it into the importance of failure in engineering. But to my surprise (and true to the spirit of an epic fail), all the workshops finished, and no one asked.

 Later that afternoon, while playing badminton with the participants in the gym, I finally got my chance. Three students from Thailand approached me, and one of them, a boy named CJ, noticed my shirt. He giggled and asked why I was wearing it. It was music to my ears! I felt like the universe was behind me, cheering me on to seize the moment.

 I told them about the meaning of the slang. We also discussed that in engineering—and in life—we often encounter failure. To my delight, they were genuinely engaged in the conversation. We discussed how failure proves that we’re trying, taking action, and learning. It pushes our ideas forward, eventually leading to better versions and successful outcomes. One of the boys chimed in saying, "As long as we keep trying, failing is okay." I couldn’t agree more, adding, "And if you’re going to fail while trying, make it epic so you always remember the lessons!"

 That conversation felt like a mission accomplished for the day.

 I saw the boys again later at the workshop venue. They smiled and waved, recognizing me as “the guy with the epic fail shirt.” Even if they didn’t remember my name, I was happy they recalled the conversation we had that night.

On the last day of camp, I was playing the ukulele with Sin, another participant. CJ approached me, holding something in his hands. He gave it to me and said, “This is for you.” He told me he enjoyed our conversation and wanted to give me a gift.

 I was thrilled to know that our talk had resonated with at least one student. As I write this, I’m marking one year of working at ICT. I’m incredibly grateful for moments like these, where we get to share engineering insights with students—lessons I hope will serve them as life skills as they grow.

 Oh, and by the way, CJ’s gift was a pair of traditional Thai pants! I’m sure they’ll go perfectly with my “EPIC FAIL” shirt. I can’t wait to wear the combo at a future workshop.

 Looking ahead, I’m excited to experience more realizations, “EPIC FAIL”, and eventual successes with the school community as we continue striving toward ICT’s goal of fostering global innovators. I’ll be sure to share more stories in future journal entries!

Domyson Abuan, Learning Mentor